Rain or Reign?

I am reminded almost daily to pray for rain; we all know we are in the middle of a drought. I just hope we are way past the middle. I mean we need rain, not just a shower; we need a RAIN, the kind that not only fills up the creeks and tanks, but also washes them out.

We all understand we are at the mercy of God when it comes to rain, He sends it or He withholds it. It’s been that way for a long time. There is a kind of rain that I do have control of.

Jesus tells us in Luke 17:21, “... the kingdom of God is within you.”Jesus is answering a question, “When is the Kingdom coming? His answer is that you won’t see signs or look and see it. It’s in our hearts that God reigns — our hearts. The question for me, and those of us praying for rain, is when we look into our hearts do we see God reigning there? As much as I want to see it raining out there, it is so much more important that I see it reigning in here!

John the Baptist marks the beginning of Jesus’ ministry with these words. “Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” Repentance is the first key in accepting God’s reign here on earth. That’s the kind of reign, I have control of. That kind of reign comes only to those willing to receive. Jesus says rain is sent to those who are just and are unjust, (Matthew 5:45). It really doesn’t really matter if you are willing or not, when the rain comes, it falls on everyone, willing or not.

When we are ready and willing to receive reign, things grow in us. Paul describes them as fruit, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. That is the nature of reign.

We are in two kind’s drought, one we have to wait on God to take care, the other we simply have to receive the reign. The one thing I am sure of is this, as much as we want to receive rain, God wants us to receive reign, His. Then the drought will really be over!